WEBVTT SCHEDULED FORTOMORROW BEFORE RESIDENTS COULDMOVE IN.A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE BATTLETELLING NEWSCENTER 5 FLAMES MAYHAVE BEEN BURNING FOR SOME TIMEUNDETECTED, BEFORE CONSTRUCTIONWORKERS CALLED 911. >> IT BURNED THE COMPLETE TOPFLOOR, VERY DIFFICULT FIRE TOFIGHT.JOHN: IT STARTED AT THIS2:30 AFTERNOON, THE ROOF QUICKLYCOLLAPSING.THE LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTIONOF THE BUILDING, THEY TYPICALLYCOLLAPSED IN 20 MINUTES.THEY WENT INTO DEFENSIVEOPERATIONS.JORGE: 83 UNITS, SIX FLOORS, ALLNEARLY FINISHED.FIRE FIGHTERS WERE ORDERED OUT.FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THE BUILDINGWAS FULLY PERMITED, FOLLOWINGSTATE BUILDING CODES, STILL THTYPE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION IS NOTPOPULAR WITH FIREFIGHTERS.>> IT IS LIGHTWEIGHT, WHICHMEANS THE CONSTRUCTIONCOMPONENTS ARE TWO BY FOUR,WHICH IS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN ARESIDENTIAL HOME VERSUS THEMAJOR DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS.IT IS NOTHING BUT A TINDERBOX.JORGE: AND THE SIZE AND SCOE PFCONSTRUCTION -- >> THEY TOOK THETOP FLOOR.AND BELOW, IT TRAVELED.THIS IS A DIFFERENT SCENARIO.AS DIFFICULT AS THIS WAS, IF ITWENT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THEBUILDING, WE WOULD HAVE REALPROBLEMS.JORG THE CONDOS HAVE ALL BEENSOLD, THE REST OF THE UNITSRENTED OUT WITH RESIDENTS SET TOMOVE IN ON JULY 15.ONLY A FEW INJURIES.WHILE IT STARTED ON THE TOPFLOOR, THE CAUSE REMAINSUNDETERMINED.ALL OF THAT FOAM IS COMINGACROSS THE STREET.WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE TO CONTINUECOVERING THIS SITUATION.

Massive fire tears through building under construction in Dorchester

Roof, top floors destroyed; Ashmont Station closed

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Updated: 10:51 PM EDT Jun 28, 2017

BOSTON —

Firefighters responded to a multi-alarm fire in Dorchester Wednesday afternoon.

Flames were shooting out of the roof of the six-floor wood-framed apartment building under construction called the Treadmark at 1971-1977 Dorchester Avenue, near Peabody Square. The fire department said the building has 83 units.

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The fire began around 2:30 p.m. and grew to a 6-alarm response over the next hour, the department said. A source told Newscenter 5 the flames may have been burning for some time undetected before workers called 911.

Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn said the air conditioning units on the top of the building buckled and collapsed onto the top floor. Finn said the roof and the top floor were completely destroyed by the fire.

"It was a very difficult fire to fight," Finn said. "It's lightweight construction, which makes it very dangerous for us, which means the components are smaller. (The components) are 2x4, which is what you would see in your own residential home versus a major development like this."

Finn said the fire was dangerous because the building it wasn't typical construction.

"Steel is usually the first five or six stories," Finn said. "This is basically, under the building code, you can build one story of steel or concrete and you can raise up four stories of wooden construction. In the size and scope of this building, it's nothing but a tinderbox." Finn added that they were fortunate the fire started on top, instead of below and traveled like it did.

Crews had to utilize a foam extinguishing agent to douse the fire Wednesday night.

Sky5 flew over the building as firefighters climbed ladders and began to douse the flames. Other firefighters climbed to the top porch on nearby triple-deckers to aim their hoses at the burning building.

The fire department said it was forced to work from the exterior of the building for safety reasons and had to take a defensive stance battling the blaze. The sprinkler system was not active in the building to assist firefighters.

Smoke inhalation caused a big concern for the area, prompting Transit police to close Ashmont Station on the Red Line. Red Line service ends at Shawmut Station.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said multiple bus routes were detoured due to the fire. Riders looking for service to Ashmont Station are advised to make connections at Talbot and Dorchester avenues.

Fire officials said one construction worker went to the hospital for chest pains and several other firefighters were taken to the hospital for exhaustion.

The building was in its final stages of construction and was due to be inspected by officials at the end of the week. Residents were due to move in on July 15. Officials said the construction of the building is all within the building code and added buildings across Boston are constructed just like this structure.

Jim Keefe, a principal investor of the building, issued a statement on the fire, saying, "We care deeply about the Ashmont neighborhood and are heartbroken. The most important thing is that no one was seriously hurt. Those who were inside the building, which was still under construction, were immediately evacuated."

Keefe said they are grateful for the Boston Fire Department's efforts and are committed to making sure the project gets rebuilt. Fire officials believe there is a multi-million dollar loss due to the significant damage caused.

There is no word yet on what caused the fire, but officials said workers were testing out equipment before the fire started.

Crews are expected to be at the scene through the night. Fire investigators will be unable to enter the building until late Thursday afternoon if it is safe to do so.